Lorene Norwood

Mary Lorene Norwood, age 86, of Sheldon, passed away Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at Barton County Memorial Hospital in Lamar.       Lorene was born August 25, 1924 at the rural Selvey family home north of Lamar, the sixth of the eleven children of Roy and Essie (McManis) Selvey.  After completing grade school at Ozark School, Lorene graduated from Lamar High School with the class of 1941.  She then earned a teaching certificate from Southwest Missouri State Teachers College in Springfield and taught in the country schools of Bryant, Rockdale and Summit for six years.  In 1965, Lorene enrolled in the first class of Nevada Nursing School and graduated as an LPN with that first class.  Her long career in nursing included many years at Barton County Memorial Hospital and the Lamar Clinic.  Her caring and compassionate nature and her desire to help others was evident and she found great joy in both her nursing and teaching careers.        On May 6, 1945, at First Baptist Church in Lamar, Lorene married Cecil Norwood.  They made their home in the Sheldon community where they lived and farmed for 63 years, until Cecil's death July 14, 2007.  Lorene was also preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Gene, Leland Gail, and Martin Selvey; two brothers-in-law, Herb Carr and Orville Caruthers; and four sisters-in-law, Pauline, Reba, Margaret, and Betty Selvey; two nephews, Jim Carr and Dennis Selvey; a niece, Polly Selvey; and a great-nephew, Peter Carr.       Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Linda & Charles Madison, Lamar; two grandchildren, Mike Madison, Lamar, and Christy & husband Casey Pyle Willard; three great-grandchildren, Mikayla Madison, Lamar, and Charlize & Callie Pyle, Willard; five brothers, Keith Selvey,  Don & Thelma Selvey, Lamar, and Carl & Beverly Selvey, all of Lamar; Bob Selvey, Liberal, and Ron & Donna Selvey, Bolivar; two sisters, Helen Carr and Louise Caruthers, both of Lamar; and a large extended family.       Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday at Milford Christian Church under the direction of Daniel Funeral Home. Burial will be in Sheldon Cemetery.       Memorial contributions are suggested to the Barton County 4-H Council, Sheldon Cemetery, or the charity of the donor's choice.